Flame. NFIW Karnataka State Committee President A. Patil's committee is said to have proposed that rape laws should be made gender neutral.
“NFIW, Karnataka State Committee demands immediate withdrawal of the said proposal of the State Expert Committee. It also demands that rape laws and other laws related to sexual crimes should be gender sensitive and gender equitable. Moreover, it should be implemented in letter and spirit,” Jyoti demanded.
In a society deeply rooted in patriarchy and misogyny, talking about 'gender neutral' rape laws is an injustice to the women of the country as well as its constitutional values. Jyoti said that according to National Crime Records Bureau data, the number of cases of sexual violence against women in India increased from 4.28 lakh in 2021 to 4.45 lakh in 2022 and on an average about 86 rapes are recorded per day.
If these are reported numbers, the unreported numbers go beyond counting. “We have seen many heinous and crimes of sexual harassment in recent times where justice has been a nightmare despite gender sensitive legislators. Bilkis Bano case, Hathras case, Indian wrestlers case and others are some examples,” Jyoti stressed.
In such a scenario, making rape laws and other acts of sexual crimes gender neutral will weaken the laws and deny justice to victimized women. On the other hand, the diluted gender neutral law only brings charges against him. NFIW therefore reiterates that laws relating to sexual offenses cannot be gender neutral in a patriarchal society, Jyoti underlined.
“NFIW, Karnataka State Committee demands immediate withdrawal of the said proposal of the State Expert Committee. It also demands that rape laws and other laws related to sexual crimes should be gender sensitive and gender equitable. Moreover, it should be implemented in letter and spirit,” Jyoti demanded.
In a society deeply rooted in patriarchy and misogyny, talking about 'gender neutral' rape laws is an injustice to the women of the country as well as its constitutional values. Jyoti said that according to National Crime Records Bureau data, the number of cases of sexual violence against women in India increased from 4.28 lakh in 2021 to 4.45 lakh in 2022 and on an average about 86 rapes are recorded per day.
If these are reported numbers, the unreported numbers go beyond counting. “We have seen many heinous and crimes of sexual harassment in recent times where justice has been a nightmare despite gender sensitive legislators. Bilkis Bano case, Hathras case, Indian wrestlers case and others are some examples,” Jyoti stressed.
In such a scenario, making rape laws and other acts of sexual crimes gender neutral will weaken the laws and deny justice to victimized women. On the other hand, the diluted gender neutral law only brings charges against him. NFIW therefore reiterates that laws relating to sexual offenses cannot be gender neutral in a patriarchal society, Jyoti underlined.
